ABSTRACT
Heat regenerators are often employed when the use of heat recuperators is either uneconomical, because of the enormous heat-transfer areas required, or impractical, due to the likelihood of surface fouling by particulate-laden gases. The use of regenerators abounds in the metallurgical industry, glass manufacturing, air-separation plants, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, storage of solar energy, etc. The above areas involve mainly large units processing enormous flow rates of gases. However, in Europe, the use of small, rotary (Ljungstrom) regenerators has been widespread for recovering heat from exhaust gases and preheating inlet air in commercial and residential oil-and coal-fired furnaces. With current consciousness about energy costs, an increased number of chemical engineers will likely be working with heat regenerators.
